- Bernardo Silva’s contract expires in the summer of 2026
- Portuguese star is being touted by Europe’s biggest clubs
- Pep Guardiola unaware of the player’s impending departure
Bernardo Silva is set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season, but it seems Pep Guardiola was blindsided by his captain.
Following Manchester City’s trouncing of Liverpool in the FA Cup, post-match headlines were dominated by Pep Ljinders’s press conference.
In stepping in for manager Pep Guardiola, Lijnders confirmed Bernardo Silva’s summer exit , ending weeks of speculation and rumours.
Silva’s influence at the Etihad Stadium remains as present as ever, but with the Portuguese star obviously in the twilight of his career and with his contract set to expire, it seems to be a conclusion all parties were happy with.
However, in his pre-match press conference before the City’s clash against Chelsea on Sunday, Guardiola almost appeared to cast fresh doubt over the situation.
Pep Guardiola was not told about Bernardo Silva’s Man City exit
When it was put to Guardiola that Silva would certainly be leaving on the expiration of his current deal, the Spaniard was quick to respond.
Guardiola stated that he was ‘grumpy’ with Silva, as he wanted to be the first to be told, regardless of which way he decided his future lay.
“I do not know, the manager said on whether or not Silva is leaving. “A month ago I said I had to be the first for him to tell me and he didn’t say anything to me yet.
“I do not know if he has already decided. I said jokingly to him to tell me, I deserve it, but he didn’t tell me. I do not know what is going on.”
Guardiola would keep Silva at Manchester City
The key focus from the pre-Chelsea press conference was obviously the match ahead but the prospect of Silva not leaving inevitably throws up plenty of questions.
As exemplified in wins over Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, Silva continues to be a key man for City and his influence in a sky blue shirt can never be underestimated.
Guardiola more than anybody knows this and there is a general acceptance that he would keep Silva, should it be solely his decision. However, the powers that be at City tend to be less reluctant to give out bigger deals to older players.
Guardiola heaps praise on Silva
Although Guardiola is not best pleased about being left in the dark regarding Silva’s future, he is delighted by everything the midfielder has offered to Man City over the past nine years.
He [Silva] is really good in all departments, Guardiola said. “He plays a lot of games. Nine years we have been together and no injuries.
“He can play in different positions, he is so smart and reads every moment that the action and game requires. When you play a lot of games, it gives us a lot of trust and confidence how he is going to perform.
“One of the dreams of a manager is a player who can play in every position except keeper. It means you have the intelligence to play in many positions. He was a winger in the year of the Treble, the decisive part of the season,” he continued.
“Attacking midfield he can play but he’s not a player to make a lot of goals or runs in behind but he’s intelligent to read the tempo of the game and I like when he’s involved in all the process.
“Maybe becasue he’s getting old and when you get old you go back and back and back but he is so smart to read what is going on and what we have to do and not all of them have this ability.
